Lifeline (Tweek & Craig)

Chapter Eleven

Tweek

Tweek's chest was heavy, but the further they got from the campus the better he felt. There was an awkward silence in the car as Red drove them back to Craig's place. Tweek was surprised that Craig let her drive his car.
And because Tweek had never imagined that Craig would ask another to drive them, it could only mean that they were at that place in their relationship where he was comfortable with Red doing certain things, which of course made Tweek slightly jealous. A feeling Tweek wished would go away forever.
Tweek glanced at Red, who seemed happy. It was a right of passage to let your girlfriend drive your car. And he was sure Red knew that.
After a while, Tweek sat behind Craig to hide from her glares through the rear view mirror. While there, he didn't expect to feel the rage radiating from Craig. He wondered what was wrong as Craig seem frustrated beyond functioning. It was like he was fighting his own demons. Could Craig be upset by Tweeks awkwardness back there? He wondered if he embarrassed him.
When Bradley flash into Tweeks mind he felt sick to his stomach. Tweek shut his eyes hoping that with it closed he wouldn't get emotional—at least till they got to Craig's place and he was safe to drown in his pain in the privacy of his room.
Tweek worked his hardest to avoid Bradley after high school. When he discovered they went to the same college, he avoided him around campus. And if they had classes together, Tweek he would drop the class the same day.
But still...,
Seeing his face so close, after all this time brought back so many waves of emotions. Good, bad and the unwanted. The memories kept coming, and wouldn't stay away as much as Tweek wished they would.
Tweek knew what his preference was at a very young age. Hell, his first crush was Craig and he did a great job hiding it. At least he thought he did. When the yoai mess happened, Tweek wondered if the girls had supernatural powers that made it possible for them to see into his soul. Or maybe it was much simpler than that, it's possible one girl caught him staring at Craig just a second too long and thought, "hmm... that's interesting.'
Tweek knew there was no chance that Craig would like it, but deep down he always imagined what it would be like if Craig did extend his heart to him. However, Tweek watched as Craig fall into a deep depression and his only way of climbing out of it was to turn his frustration on him. Craig did it well, turned everyone against him as if Tweek was the one who spreaded the rumors.
In a matter of weeks, Tweek lost his friends and the rest of his sanity, over fanart that truly spoke to his deepest desires. And so he became invisible. Well, until the summer of his sophomore year of high school.
Tweek was torn from his thoughts, when Craig finally spoke, giving Red directions on how to enter the garage. When they parked, Craig got out first taking his keys from her. Craig walked ahead of them and Red hurried to keep up.
Tweek was left behind. He glanced at Red and Craig and realized something he hadn't before. They looked great together. Red was short, and Craig towered over her. Still, looking from behind it was the perfect balance. Her fire red hair and warm brown eyes truly made her feel like daylight where Craig ebony hair and icy blue eyes was like staring at a dark sky.
'Too many emotions,' Tweek thought trying to fight back the sadness he felt walking behind them. His life was like an endless cycle of happiness and heartache and he wasn't sure if he was cut out for it. Tweek wanted to just go back several hours to when he realized he was the happiest he has ever been in his whole life. The moment he got to wake and look over at the only person, that wasn't his parents, that he has ever loved. He wanted that moment of his eyes opening to repeat over and over again in an endless paradox.
When Craig stopped at the entranceway and looked at Tweek, with his icy eyes, Tweek hurried to catch up. The elevator ride was making him anxious. Craig was the last to enter so of course he was the closest to the doors. Craig had his back turned to both him and Red. Tweek stood with his back press against the wall, and Red was next to him.
Tweek glanced at her once, and after seeing how upset she looked with him, he didn't dare look at her again despite his shoulders feeling the burn of her heated stares. When the doors opened , she pushed Tweek back. He could still feel the heat from her arm, that she used to hold him back so that she can go through the doors before him. Tweek had every intentions of letting her go first.
When he walked off the elevator, Red pretended like nothing happened as they entered the apartment. Tweek sighed, it was his first weekend with Craig and she was going to be there. For how long? A mystery.
Tweek locked the door behind him and waited till they were done undressing before going to take off his outer wear.
"Hungry?" Craig finally spoke to him, although Craig's voice was soft Tweek could tell he was irritated. Tweek could feel his heart racing as he pick up his backpack without looking at him.
When Tweek finally got the courage to look at Craig, Tweek hesitated to respond with Red giving him the death glare from behind Craig.
Craig sighed. "Chinese food?" Craig tried again.
Tweek nodded.
Craig turned to Red and asked if she was ok with Chinese food.
"Can we do sushi?" Red asked, wrapping her arms around his.
Tweek watched Craig sigh and then turn to him. "Is sushi good?"
Tweek did not like sushi. "I don't like sushi, but you both should eat it if you want to. There's pizza in the freezer that I can warm up," Tweek replied, looking at them and then realizing that he was cornered by the door.
"Who dislikes sushi?" Red asked with an attitude.
"A lot of people," Craig answered her. "What about Chinese don't you like?"
"I like Chinese, just not in the mood for it," Red replied.
Craig sighed. He looked down at her quietly for a few second before actually entering the apartment. "It's frozen pizza or Chinese food, Red you decide," Craigs said taking her bag and walking to the extra room.
Tweek saw his friend 'Mr. disappoint' capture her face as she looked from Craig to Tweek. Tweek used this opportunity to sneak pass Red to his room where he entered and closed the door behind him.